Well after residents of Massachusetts are finished shoveling snow and recovering from the aches associated with cold, damp weather, many suffer back pain due to summer activities. While lighter clothing and milder temperatures make movement generally easier, many patients come to the offices of Long Island Spine Rehabilitation Medicine during the summer months seeking to relieve acute or chronic back pain.
Our doctors are all physiatrists, focused on pain relief and restoration of function, experts in diagnosing and treating spinal problems. Because our goal, like yours, is making you feel better as quickly as possible, we offer a wide variety of traditional and complementary therapeutic options, often in combination for best results.
Our approach to medicine is nonsurgical and holistic, so contact us if you require treatment this summer for back pain incurred while:
Traveling
Summer is the time many people take vacations, and long car rides, bus or train travel or flights
can wreak havoc on your back, leading to stiffness and discomfort. Prolonged sitting in cramped spaces often strains the muscles and spine, exacerbating existing issues.
Gardening or Doing Yard Work
While planting flowers, digging weeds, and pruning branches can all be satisfying and emotionally rewarding, they can also strain your back. Hours of bending, lifting, reaching, and twisting can leave you sore.
Caring for Active Children
With kids out of school, summer often means increased childcare responsibilities, which, with young children or grandchildren, may involve lifting and carrying, diapering, pushing swings, chasing, and playing games that entail getting into and holding uncomfortable positions. Any of these activities can strain your back.
Moving, Clearing Out, Reorganizing,
Summer is a popular time for moving and reorganizing spaces, cleaning garages, and having tag sales, but the heavy lifting and awkward movements involved with these activities can spell trouble for your back.
Engaging in Sports or Cheering Players
Participating in amateur sports can be an enjoyable way to stay active, but impromptu ball games do not generally involve warm-up exercises, correct techniques, and proper footwear, the absence of which can lead to back pain. Refereeing or coaching can also be hard on the back, especially if you don’t do it regularly, as can sitting on bleachers that offer no back support.
Picnics and Hiking
In spite of the delights of picnics and hiking, both may be hard on the back. If you are over 40, sitting on the ground without back support or carrying heavy loads while walking to your picnic destination or hiking a mountain trail can put a strain on your back that you will feel long afterward.
Keep Your Summer Relaxed — Protect Your Back
Here are some simple tips to help prevent back pain this summer:
- Take frequent breaks and vary tasks
- Lift with your legs, not your back
- Use ergonomic tools and moving aids
- Ask for help when you need it
- Wear supportive footwear
- Use proper posture
- Stay hydrated
At LI Spine, We Are Back Pain Specialists for All Seasons
If, in spite of our helpful tips, a summer (or spring, fall, or winter) activity causes you back pain, contact our capable, caring physiatrists for prompt, effective diagnosis and treatment ranging from corticosteroid injections to acupuncture. Whether you are suffering intrusive discomfort or acute pain, we will figure out precisely what’s wrong and create a treatment plan just for you.